"He's great because he is everything. He is a man who wants to do things, wants to build, he founded an order and its rules, he is an itinerant and a missionary, a poet and a prophet, he is mystical. He found evil in himself and rooted it out. He loves nature, animals, the blade of grass on the lawn and the birds flying in the sky. But above all he loved people, children, old people, women. He is the most shining example of  agape..."

"Francis wanted a mendicant order and an itinerant one. Missionaries who wanted to meet, listen, talk, help, to spread faith and love. Especially love. And he dreamed of a poor Church that would take care of others, receive material aid and use it to support others, with no concern for itself. 800 years have passed since then and times have changed, but the ideal of a missionary, poor Church is still more than valid. This is still the Church that Jesus and his disciples preached about."

La Repubblica,  newspaper interview 2013

The Lord granted me, Brother Francis, to begin to do penance in this way: While I was in sin,

it seemed very bitter to me to see lepers. And the Lord Himself led me among them and I had mercy upon them. And when I left them that which seemed bitter to me was changed into sweetness of soul and body; and afterward I lingered a little and left the world.

And the Lord gave me such faith in churches that I would simply pray and speak in this way: “We adore You, Lord Jesus Christ, in all Your churches throughout the world, and we bless You, for through Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.”

The beginning of the Testament. The full text can be found here on the Order of Friars Minor website:

The Testament of St Francis

(opens in new window)

“He was always with Jesus; Jesus he bore in his heart, Jesus in his mouth, Jesus in his ears, Jesus in his eyes, Jesus in his hands, Jesus in the rest of his members. O how often, when he sat down to eat, hearing or speaking or thinking of Jesus, he forgot bodily food… many times, as he went along the way meditating on and singing of Jesus, he would forget his journey and invite all the elements to praise Jesus.” 

Thomas of Celano, 1C 115; p. 32

“Every day he humbles himself just as he did when he came from his heavenly throne into the Virgins womb (Wis. 18:15); every day he comes to us and lets us see him in abjection, when he descends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar. Just as once he appeared to the apostles in real flesh, to he shows himself to us in this sacred bread.

The Admonitions

O sublime humility! 

O humble sublimity! 

The lord of the universe, 

God and the Son of God, 

so humbles himself that for our salvation 

he hides himself under an ordinary piece of bread! Brothers, look at the humility of God, 

and pour out your hearts before him! 

Humble yourselves that you may be exalted by him! 

Hold nothing back of yourselves for yourselves, that he who gives himself totally to you may receive you totally!” 

St Francis, Letter to the Order, 26-29

Most high glorious God, 

enlighten the darkness of my heart 

and give me Lord a correct Faith, 

a certain Hope, 

a perfect Charity, 

perception and knowledge, 

so that I may carry out your holy and true command.

Further reflection by Fr Murray Bodo OFM

See this article by Elizabeth Finnis for further information and an interpretation of its details.

My little sisters, the birds, you ought to praise your creator very much and always love him. He gave you feathers to clothe you, wings so that you can fly, and whatever else you needed. God made you noble among his creatures, and he gave you a home in the purity of the air. Though you neither sow nor reap, he nevertheless protects and governs you without any solicitude on your part.

[St Francis] rejoiced in all the works of the hand of the Lord, and saw behind all things pleasant to behold their life-giving reason and cause. In beautiful things he saw Beauty itself, all things were to him good. “He who made us is the best,” they cried out to him. 

He embraced all things with a rapture of unheard of devotion, speaking to them of the Lord and admonishing them to [offer] praise. 

He forbade the brothers to cut down the whole tree when they cut wood, so it might have the hope of sprouting again. 

He commanded the gardener to leave the border around the garden undug, so that in their proper times the greenness of the grass and the beauty of the flowers might announce the beauty of the Father of all things. 

He removed from the road little worms, lest they be crushed under foot; and he ordered that honey and the best wines be set out for the bees, lest they perish from want in the cold winter. 

He called all animals by the name of “brother”, though among all kinds of animals he preferred the gentle. 

For that original goodness that will one day be all things, and in all, was already shown forth in this saint as all things in all. 

“LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.” 

Here is a link to the Encyclical Letter of Pope Francis calling us to 'care for our common home'.

You might enjoy this poem by Galway Kinnell, an American poet. 

Read here.

‘Go calmly in peace, for you will have a good escort, because he who created you has sent you the Holy Spirit and has always guarded you as a mother does her child who loves her. O Lord may you who created me be blessed.’ 

With swift pace, light step,

     unswerving feet,

     so that even your steps stir no dust,

go forward

     securely, joyfully, and swiftly,

on the path of prudent happiness. 

2nd Letter

Most High, all-powerful,

good Lord,

yours is the praise,

the glory and the honour and every blessing.

To you alone, Most High,

do they belong,

and no one is worthy

to speak your name.

Praised be you, my Lord

with all your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

who is the day through whom 

you bring us light.

And he is lovely, shining

with great splendour,

for he heralds you, Most High.

Praised be you, my Lord,

through Sister Moon and Stars.

In heaven you have formed them,

lightsome and precious and fair.

And praised be you, my Lord,

through Brother Wind, through

air and cloud, through calm

and every weather by which 

you sustain your creatures.

Praised be you, my Lord,

through Sister Water,

so very useful and humble,

precious and chaste.

Praised be you, my Lord

through Brother Fire,

by whom you light up

the night, and he is

handsome and merry,

robust and strong.

Praised be you, my Lord,

through our Sister, Mother Earth,

who sustains us and directs us

bringing forth all kinds of fruits

and coloured flowers and herbs.

Praised be you, my Lord

through those who forgive

for your love

and who bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those

who endure in peace,

for by you, Most High,

they will be crowned.

Praised be you, my Lord,

through our Sister Bodily Death

from whom no living being 

can escape.

How dreadful for those

who die in mortal sin!

How blessed are those she

finds in your most holy will

for the second death

can do them no harm.

O praise and bless my Lord,

thank him and serve him

humbly but grandly!

Further reading from Elizabeth Finnis of the Secular Franciscans